7 things to know about road project that may get part of Landmark Beach demolished

The Federal Government’s plan to construct a 700 km coastal highway from Lagos to Calabar is getting Nigerians talking.

The highway, when completed, would overthrow the iconic Third Mainland Bridge as Nigeria’s civic engineering masterpiece.

Interestingly, the popular conversation about the coastal road project isn’t so much about its usefulness for the public, rather, it’s largely about the businesses that would have to perish for it to flourish.

The impending development recently caught Nigerians’ attention when the Lagos State Government issued a demolition order to the owners of Landmark Beach Resort.

The beach resort situated along the Atlantic Ocean beachfront in Lagos, is a hospitality and tourism service company valued at over $200 million.

According to the letter sent to the Landmark Group, some sections of the property have been marked for demolition because they fall within the road project’s right of way.

The Landmark site in Victoria Island is home to over 80 businesses that create over 4,000 direct jobs, according to the owners.

When the proposed demolition slipped into social media, many Nigerians expressed their views in favour of the company.

However, to avoid the proposed demolition of its properties, the Landmark Group urged the Federal Government to reroute about 1.5km of the road project.

The company said over $100 million had been invested in developing the Landmark ecosystem, adding that the destruction of the business entity “would undoubtedly create a huge void which would be difficult to fill.”

While conversations continue between the Landmark Group and the Federal Government, here are seven things you need to know about the coastal highway project.

1. Starting from Victoria Island, the 700 km highway will run through nine coastal states.
2. The project will pass through Lekki Deep Seaport in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, Rivers, Edo and Akwa-Ibom.
3. The road will have five lanes on each side of the dual carriageway and a train track in the middle.
4. The road will be built by Hitech Construction Company. The same company that constructed the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
5. The project will be funded by both the Federal Government and the construction company.
6. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved a ₦1.06 trillion contract for the construction of the first phase of the coastal road.
7. According to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, the road will be constructed with concrete.